TFJB 02

Chapter 2

While I was spacing out for a moment, Finch waved his hand right in front of my eyes.

“Hey, Ash. Did you get hit in the head? Why are you making such a dumb face?”

And then something incredible happened again.

The moment Finch’s gray eyes met mine, something popped into the air.

「Name: Finch

Race: Human

Age: 22

Gender: Male

Hometown: San Pedro

Traits: Nosy, Mouse-like, Well-connected, Early-stage Gambling Addict」

It was some kind of info window.

Well, you could call it just an “info window” nicely, or, less nicely, it was like the kind of basic personal info you’d see on a wanted poster.

I read Finch’s info window carefully and muttered without realizing it.

“Finch, started gambling? With not a penny to your name….”

Finch’s face instantly turned bright red.

“Ah, n-no! It’s not like that! I just play a few rounds lightly!”

“And end up losing money you don’t even have? Be careful. If you keep going like this, your later life won’t be good.”

I’d never seen a gambler end well.

Anyway, that wasn’t the important part.

“Fine, I can accept seeing weird things with my eyes… after all, in a world with reincarnations and awakened people, I guess that’s plausible.”

“But Finch… why am I here? My last memory wasn’t here—it was outside…”

Finch frowned.

“What, you don’t remember?”

“What memory?”

I furrowed my brow automatically.

All I remembered was getting smacked on the head by some guy and having my jewels stolen.

I had zero memory of how I ended up in this run-down shack that these back-alley humans dared to call an inn!

Unaware of my complicated thoughts, Finch shrugged as if it were obvious.

“You were lying in the back yard of the inn last night. Bleeding from your head.”

“Huh?”

“Did you maybe drink yourself silly and hit your head on the back stairs?”

I shouted.

“No way!”

“Then what happened?”

“Pickpocketed!”

“Pickpocketed? Nonsense. Who safely escorts a pickpocketed victim back home?”

“Well….”

I had no reply if I said that, but it was true.

Anyway, if Finch didn’t know, no one else would either. I sighed.

“Did I really drink and pass out? No, I don’t even have money for alcohol.”

While I began doubting my memory, Finch casually tapped my shoulder.

“As long as your life’s intact, that’s what matters. Oh, and you should change the head bandage once a day.”

He grinned and quickly disappeared among the tables on the first floor.

Holding my throbbing head, I first went to my secret place.

“If my memory’s correct, something must have happened there.”

A little later, I confirmed that my memory wasn’t a dream.

A trembling voice escaped me.

“Bastard… you ate even the fleas’ liver?”

The inside of my warehouse was spotless, not a speck of dust in sight!

“How… how did he even get all this?”

Just taking the green jewel would have been enough, but seeing that he took even my tiny hoard, I could imagine how greedy he was.

“Thank goodness he didn’t find the handkerchief heirloom.”

I sighed while touching the half-purple handkerchief embroidered with a star. It seemed the thief didn’t notice it since I’d hidden it so deeply.

“Of course, he wouldn’t have taken it even if he found it…”

Thinking of the money I lost, my mood sank again.

“You jerk… you bad guy!”

I sighed for a long while, then slumped to the ground.

“Ugh, my head hurts so much that even cursing is hard.”

While pressing my left temple, I noticed my right hand looked different.

It was…

“Huh? What’s this?”

Something was wrapped around my right pinky like a ring.

“It’s not a letter, just a strange pattern. But somehow it feels familiar?”

At that moment,

–Flash!

A small light burst from my pinky.

“Whoa!”

I jumped in surprise. If my pinky hadn’t been attached, I would have dropped it.

My eyes widened automatically.

“A glowing organ has appeared on my body? I didn’t reincarnate as a deep-sea creature, so what is this…?”

I was so shocked that nonsense words came out.

“No, no. It’s not that! Suddenly a weird pattern appears on my finger, and it glows?”

Calming my pounding heart, I considered the possibilities.

Finally, I concluded…

“I must have awakened!”

Finally, light had entered my harsh life!

Just like in the mercenary battle yesterday, when an ability awakens, a small symbol appears somewhere on the body like a mark.

And the symbol glows softly whenever you use your power.

“Like my possession’s mark!”

Also, just like at the inn earlier…

“I could see bounties and crimes above people’s heads.”

Even Finch, who spoke with me closely, showed detailed personal info.

“What other abilities could I have? This can’t be all of it…”

I examined my pinky, and the symbol blinked rapidly, as if urging, “Look at me closely!”

And then…

「42 Cooper (Pickpocket, over 100 other frauds)」

The bounty and crimes appeared teasingly, then the info window.

「Name: Ash

Race: Human

Age: 20

Gender: Female

Hometown: San Pedro

Traits: Destitute, Reincarnated, Gold-centric, Aspiring self-made success, Awakened (Bounty Viewer)」

I gasped.

“No way… is this my wanted poster?”

The symbol on my pinky displayed the info window again in response.

「Name: Ash

Race: Human

Age: 20

Gender: Female

Hometown: San Pedro

Traits: Destitute, Reincarnated, Gold-centric, Aspiring self-made success, Awakened (Bounty Viewer)」

Thanks to it, I could read my info window clearly, with my own eyes!

Of course, I already knew my name, race, age, etc., so let’s look at traits.

“Destitute, Reincarnated, Gold-centric, hopes to rise from rags…”

All were accurate.

Money, money, money.

It was the very essence of Ash.

But there was one keyword I couldn’t accept…

“Awakened classification… Bounty Viewer? Not a bounty hunter?”

It was a power I had never heard of.

“Usually, people awaken magic, swords, or spirits to become stronger…”

Something felt off. A bad feeling.

“Usually, ability names are intuitive…”

I bit my lips and muttered.

“Please don’t tell me my awakened power is just to watch other people’s wanted posters. Please…”

Really, please. There’s no way such a worthless ability would be called an awakening…

–Flash!

–Flash!

The symbol on my pinky blinked twice, as if responding to me.

I couldn’t believe it and asked again.

“R-really? Not lying? Seriously?”

–Flash!

–Flash!

“Is there no other ability? Getting stronger, smarter… maybe even a bit faster?”

–Flash!

–Flash!

There’s no need to be so positive, right?

It was extremely disappointing news.

My mood, so excited to enjoy life, sank into the mud instantly.

Maybe because I fell from a very high place? It hurt in the worst way.

I threw my right pinky away. This pathetic ability…!

No money, and the awakened ability is useless.

I felt ridiculously pitiful. I let my eyebrows droop.

“Ugh. Why am I so unlucky? Even if I’m reborn in this world, I end up here… try to live well, and this is the result…”

Leaning my back against the wall, I looked up.

Perhaps because everything was grimy and colorless? The sky looked unusually clear from the lowest, dirtiest slum of San Pedro.

Three months later.

I called the errand boy, Bob.

“It’s too noisy outside. It interferes with listening to the whispers of the stars. So keep things quiet. Line people up properly.”

“Yes, ma’am! Esmeralda!”

Bob exited the tent with precision.

‘Hehe. I did it, Ash.’

Three months after starting fresh as “Esmeralda,” I even had a competent errand boy under me. I felt proud and smiled automatically.